Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners

This summary outlines key considerations and practical approaches for educators working with refugee and displaced learners, drawing on the experiences of teachers in Ukraine. It addresses the unique challenges these learners face, including trauma, disruption to education, and feelings of displacement, and offers strategies for creating a supportive and effective learning environment. This information is valuable for English language teachers, trainers, and educational program developers aiming to support vulnerable student populations.

Understanding the Challenges

The influx of refugees and displaced individuals presents educators with a distinct set of challenges that go beyond typical classroom management.

• Initial Disruption and Lack of Belonging: At the outset of the war in Ukraine, a primary challenge was the unexpected duration of the conflict and the resulting displacement. Many learners felt a strong sense of belonging to their original communities and were initially reluctant to engage in new, offline educational settings, as their home schools were still functioning online. [02:20]
• Linguistic and Educational Discrepancies: Learners come from diverse backgrounds, including specialized schools and small villages, leading to significant variations in their linguistic skills and educational gaps. Some students experienced periods of poor or no access to learning due to occupied territories, requiring teachers to bridge these knowledge deficits. [04:09, 06:32]
• Psychological and Emotional Impact: Displaced learners often exhibit heightened reactions to environmental stimuli, such as air alerts or the sound of planes, due to their association with danger. They experience elevated levels of anxiety, stress, and insecurity in their new surroundings. [05:15, 06:53]
• Diversity Within the Classroom: A significant challenge is managing the extreme diversity within a single classroom, encompassing different backgrounds, learning gaps, emotional states, and varying levels of readiness to integrate into a new community. [06:16]